PLACENTA: STRUCTURE & FUNCTION

IGN Suryantha

Dept Obstetric & Gynecology

Tujuan Pembelajaran

Umum• Memahami tentang struktur dan fungsi

plasenta.

Khusus• Dapat menjelaskan tentang fertilisasi,

implantasi dan plasentasi.• Dapat menjelaskan tentang fungsi nutritif ,

respirasi, ekresi, proteksi dan penghasil hormon dari plasenta.

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PLACENTA• Fetomaternal organ.

• It has 2 components:

– Fetal part – develops from the chorionic sac ( chorion

frondosum )

– Maternal part – derived from the endometrium ( functional

layer – decidua basalis )

• The placenta and the umbilical cord are a transport system for

substances between the mother and the fetus

( vessels in umbilical cord )

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PLACENTA

Function Of The Placenta:

1. Protection2. Nutrition3. Respiration4. Excretion5. Hormone production

Placenta formation

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DECIDUA• This is the endometrium

of the gravid (pregnant) uterus.

• It has four parts:– Decidua basalis: it

forms the maternal part of the placenta

– Decidua capsularis: it covers the conceptus

– Decidua parietalis: the rest of the endometrium

– Decidua reflexa:– Junction between

capsularis & parietalis.

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DEVELOPMENT OF PLACENTA • Until the beginning of the 8th week, the entire chorionic sac is covered with villi.

• After that, as the sac grows, only the part that is associated with Decidua basalis retain its villi.

• Villi of Decidua capsularis compressed by the developing sac.

• Thus, two types of chorion are formed:– Chorion frondosum

(villous chorion) – Chorion laeve – bare

(smooth) chorion– About 18 weeks old, it

covers 15-30% of the decidua and weights about 1\ 6 of fetus

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DEVELOPMENT OF PLACENTA

• The villous chorion ( increase in number, enlarge and branch ) will form the fetal part of the placenta.

• The decidua basalis will form the maternal part of the placenta.

• The placenta will grow rapidly.

• By the end of the 4th month, the decidua basalis is almost entirely replaced by the fetal part of the placenta.

Placenta

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FULL-TERM PLACENTA

• Cotyledons –about 15 to 20 slightly bulging villous areas. Their surface is covered by shreds of decidua basalis from the uterine wall.

• After birth, the placenta is always inspeced for missing cotyledons. Cotyledons remaining attached to the uterine wall after birth may cause severe bleeding.

• Grooves – formerly occupied by placental septa

• The fetal part of placenta; fetal membranes called developmental adnexa

• Placenta;fetal membranes which are expelled are called afterbirth or secundina

Maternal side

Placental function

• Placenta provides anchorage, establishes foetal vascular network in association with maternal blood supply but without connection

• Gaseous exchange • Nutritional exchange• Placenta provides hormonal support (endocrine gland)• Immunological protection?• Barrier to (maternal) blood borne pathogens, but not all

Placenta as a filter/transfer organ• Receives nutrients, oxygen, antibodies and

hormones from the mother and passes out waste. • Forms a barrier, the placental barrier, which filters

out some substances which could harm the foetus. • Many substances are not filtered out

– Alcohol and other social drugs

– Many prescription drugs• Eg Thalidomide

– Some viruses• Eg. Human cytomegalovirus

• Birth defects possible

Placenta as an endocrine gland

• HCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin) - maintains ovary (corpus luteum)

• Progesterone – maintains pregnancy (especially after 1st trimester)

• Sommatomammotropin (Placental lactogen – increases maternal blood glucose and lipids

• Oestrogen

• Relaxin

• Prostaglandins

Placenta – Immune protection

• Foetus is an allograft

• Foetus will be rejected if exposed to maternal immune system

• Mother recognises foreign placenta but does not reject

• Placental cells immunoprotected

Human Placenta

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PLACENTAL CIRCULATION 80 to 100 each cotyledon - inflow

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FULL-TERM PLACENTA( Discoid shape -500- 600 gm- Diameter 15-20 cm

– Thickness of 2-3 cm)

• Fetal surface:• This side is smooth

and shiny. It is covered by amnion.

• The umbilical cord is attached close to the center of the placenta.

• The umbilical vessels radiate from the umbilical cord.

• They branch on the fetal surface to form chorionic vessels.

• They enter the chorionic villi to form arteriocapillary-venous system.

Fetal side

Further Development of Chorionic Villi

Early in the 3rd week, mesenchyme growth into the primary villi forming a core of mesenchymal tissue. Thus the Secondary Chorionic Villi are formed over the entire surface of the chorionic sac .

Some mesenchymal cells in the secondary villi differentiate into capillaries and blood cells forming the Tertiary Chorionic Villi .

The capillaries in the villi fuse to form arteriocapillary networks .

The previous formed arteriocapillary networks become connected with the embryonic heart through vessels which are formed in the mesenchyme of the chorion and connecting stalk.

By the end of the 3rd week, embryonic blood begins to flow through the capillaries in the chorionic villi .

Oxygen & nutrients in the maternal blood in the intervillous space diffuse through the walls of the villi and enter the embryo’s blood.

Carbon dioxide & waste products diffuse from blood in the fetal capillaries through the wall of the chorionic villi into the maternal blood.

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STRUCTURE OF STEM CHORIONIC VILLUS

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PLACENTAL MEMBRANE knot –syncytiotrophoblast –Toward end of pregnancy –

phagocytic cells

• This is a composite structure that consists of the extrafetal tissues separating the fetal blood from the maternal blood.

• It has four layers:– Syncytiotrophoblast– Cytotrophoblast– Connective tissue of

villus– Endothelium of fetal

capillaries• After the 20th week, the

cytotrophoblastic cells disappear and the placental membrane consists only of three layers.

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TRANSFER ACROSS THE PLACENTAL

MEMBRANE Viruses:

measles;poliomyelitis Microorganism:

treponema pallidum of syphilis ; T.g which produce

destructive change in the eye; brain .

IgG( gamma globulin) , IgS;IgM (

immunoglobulin S;M )

Placental endocrine synthesis

• The syncytiotrophoblast synthesizes protein &steroid hormones

• The protein homones• 1- human chorionic gonadotropin• 2- h.c. somatomammotropin• 3-h.c. thyrotropin• 4-h.c. corticotropin• The steroid hormones• Progesterone & Estrogens

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Third trimester bleeding is the common sign of these anomalies

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Biscoid placenta

Bipartita Horseshoe

When villi persist on the entire surface of the chorionic sac ,a

thin layer of placenta attaches to a large area of the uterus …… it

is a membranous placenta.

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FULL-TERM UMBILICAL CORD

• Usually it is attached near the center of the fetal surface of placenta.

• Length: about 50 cm• Diameter: 1-2 cm• Contains two arteries

and one vein, surrounded by mucoid connective tissue (Wharton jelly)

• The vessels are longer than the cord and may have loops (false knots).

THE END